From Pinzgau through the Salzkammergut to Lake Attersee

Route details

A 302 km Tour through three Austrian federal states, from the Krimml Waterfalls to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Hallstatt and Lake Attersee.

The Tour begins in Oberkrimml near the Krimml Waterfalls, the highest waterfalls in Austria with a drop of 380 meters and the fifth highest in the world. From here, the Route first heads east through the Salzach Valley. The old Gerlos road (B165) is a free alternative to the Gerlos Alpenstrasse toll road, although it is narrow in places with gradients of up to 17%.

After crossing the Pinzgau, the route reaches Styria near Schladming. The Shell Petrol station on Salzburgerstrasse is a good place to stop for supplies. From here, the Route heads north towards the Salzkammergut.

The section around Bad Goisern leads through the UNESCO World Heritage region of Hallstatt-Dachstein/Salzkammergut, which has been under protection since 1997. The cultural landscape documents 2500 years of salt mining history. Lake Hallstatt and the characteristic mountain backdrop of the Dachstein massif characterize this section of the route. The roads here are mostly well developed, sometimes winding with moderate gradients.

Further north, the Tour passes St. Gilgen am Wolfgangsee. The town is only around 30 km from Salzburg and is known as Mozart's village - Mozart's mother was born here. The Zwölferhorn cable car takes you up to 1522 meters and offers panoramic views over several Salzkammergut lakes.

Via Tiefgraben am Mondsee, the route leads to Lake Attersee, the largest lake located entirely in Austria. The destination of Schörfling am Attersee lies at the northern end of the lake between Linz and Salzburg.

The road surface is mainly asphalt in good condition. Individual sections, especially in the mountains, may have patches. The route combines Mountain roads, Country roads and Main roads without any highway sections. Technically, the Tour is moderately demanding: the curve radii are mostly wide, Hairpin bends are rare. In the main season (July/August), you can expect increased tourist traffic at Lake Hallstatt and Lake Wolfgangsee, and weekends are correspondingly busier. A defensive driving style is recommended.

The best duration is between May and October. In terms of altitude, the Tour ranges between about 400 and 1000 meters, without high alpine passages. Petrol stations and supply facilities are available in Schladming, Bad Goisern and St. Gilgen.